The present disclosure relates to beam processing machines for processing workpieces. In particular, these may be laser beam or fluid jet processing machines, including frames, workpiece rests held by the frames, and a beam tool that is carried by the frame and that is movable relative to workpiece rest.
In laser machines the workpiece is usually not held firmly as in many other machine tools, but rather lies loosely on the workpiece rest, such as for example a cutting grid. The highly dynamic movement of fairly large masses (such as for example, a cutting bridge with ˜500 kg mass) results in excitation of the machine frame that in turn excites the sheet metal on the cutting grid via the cutting table. The undesired movement of the sheet metal results in a reduction of contour accuracy and in the phenomenon of wave cut. In order to at least partially reduce these negative effects on the cutting quality, the machine dynamics and therefore the productivity must be limited. The resulting increased processing times constitute appreciable disadvantages of such processing machines.
In order to reduce the workpiece excitation, the workpiece may be fixed or clamped on the workpiece rest. For example, prior DE-102012102820A1 discloses a clamping device for clamping sheet metal components. The sheet metal components are thereby fixed during processing. Another prior reference EP-2465637A1 discloses, for fixing a plate-like workpiece on a workpiece moving unit of a machine tool, a workpiece holding device comprising at least two workpiece clamping elements.
Such solutions certainly allow higher tool dynamics, but may be understood to have at least the following decisive disadvantages:                they require additional machine components: for example, a workpiece clamping by actuators or adjustable clamping elements to be provided specifically for this purpose on the table;        they manifest complicated workpiece automation;        the effect decreases during a processing as the waste advance;        the workpiece (e.g., sheet metal) is held only on the waste towards the end phase;        they result in reduced workpiece utilization due to predefined clamping zones; and,        they result in reduced productivity since the clamping must be released at the end.        
Since excitation of a workpiece takes place via the frame or the machine frame, stiff connection of the machine frame to the base is possible as an alternative solution. However, the stiff connection of heavy machines frames is technically very complex, and also imposes additional requirements on the base. The excitation of the base may in this case have a negative influence on the surrounding processes. In addition, the entire processing machine becomes more sensitive to excitations from the surroundings.
Prior DE-10335043B3 discloses a machine tool or production machine having a device for damping mechanical vibrations. In this case, piezo-actuators are used in the support elements of machine tools.
Prior US-2008/0257667A1 discloses a type of vibration decoupling between a machine tool and attachment elements that are disposed on a plate, such as a supply cable, a hydraulic component and a valve.
Prior US-2012/0217229A1 discloses a workpiece rest including a plurality of grid elements on which support elements can be placed in an arrangement required for the processing, for holding workpieces during the processing and for intercepting residual parts.
Finally, prior EP-2626165A1 discloses the lowerability of grid elements by a deflectable chain. The vibrations produced by movements of the beam tool, in particular in a direction parallel to the rest surface of the workpiece rest, are transferred unhindered to the workpiece.